Should You Wake Your Baby To Feed Him?

Should you wake your baby to feed him?

Many parents wonder if they should wake their babies to feed them or not. If you are a new mom or dad, you have probably already asked yourself this question many times. You do not have to have a bad conscience because of that, since things like sleeping and eating patterns always worry the parents.

Today, there are conflicting views on this issue. On the one hand , some argue that babies need to be fed every other to four hours, even if you have to wake your baby up to do so.

But in this article we discuss whether you should wake your baby to give it food or not.

How much sleep do babies need?

First of all, you need to know more about healthy sleeping habits in infants. This will help determine if you are going to wake your baby to feed it, or if this is affecting their development.

Infants sleep about 16 hours a day. They usually wake up every two or three hours to eat, although this is not a rule.

In fact, many babies sleep for more than three hours at a time. This is normal because all babies are different.

Baby’s sleep: The first months

During the first two months, sleep depends on how hungry your baby is. After receiving food, the baby sleeps easily and should not be woken up.

Light sleep usually lasts 30 to 40 minutes. In fact, you know that your baby sleeps easily because they may seem restless, but this is completely normal. After this phase, the baby goes into deep sleep.

It is important to know that babies begin to sleep longer through the night when they are approx. 4 to 6 months old. Until then, the cycles when the child falls asleep and wakes up depend on the circadian rhythm and whether it is light or dark.

In short, infants stabilize their sleep patterns slowly, and their parents will be able to get better rest after it happens.

When should the baby be fed?

As mentioned earlier, babies need to be fed every three hours. After this time , the babies wake up, cry, are fed and fall asleep again. Also note that crying is not always due to hunger.

While the three-hour period is a reference, it is only statistics. Some babies need to be fed more often, and some babies need to be woken up because they sleep too much.

When should you wake your baby to feed it?

If a baby has good sleep habits and has a suitable weight for his age, you do not need to wake them up. However, there are situations that require it, and this will depend on the baby’s age, weight and general health.

Some newborns lose weight in the first days after birth. This is because they need a few days to master absorbing food through the breast or bottle. In addition, their stomachs can only absorb a small amount of food at a time.

As you can see, it is very important for newborns to eat often. Therefore, you may need to wake your baby a few times a day (especially if your baby is born prematurely).

On the other hand, parents should not be controlled solely by the clock or the baby’s crying. Crying is just a late sign that your baby is hungry. If you find that your baby is restless, moving his lips and searching his chest, you should probably give him or her food.

Other factors to consider

When the baby has reached optimal weight and is gaining weight, it is advisable to wait for your baby to wake up on its own to be fed.

You do not have to worry about how much your child eats or how often, but about important developmental factors such as:

• Slow and stable weight gain
• Whether your child seems full between each time he or she receives food
• If your baby has six or more diaper changes per day

• If your baby poops three or more times a day

You should go to the doctor if you do not notice any of the mentioned things, so the specialist can check your baby to see if everything is okay. Your doctor can also provide the necessary information and answer your questions so that you avoid risk.

Conclusions

In short, unless your baby is born prematurely, is underweight or sick, you should not wake him or her to feed them. If the little crab is healthy and sleeps a lot, do not be afraid: let the child sleep for as long as he or she needs.

It is good to let the baby sleep, because this will help them grow physically and develop good sleep habits. Furthermore, you can use that time to get some rest or do some errands.